At this point in my life, I have preached thousands of sermons. I don’t have words adequate to express how it makes me feel when someone comes up to me and mentions the title of a sermon I preached, or some of the actual content of that sermon, and how it continues to impact their lives. When Marlene and I were leaving the Martin’s Crossroad Church on our way to our next assignment, the Sunday School Superintendent, Charles Thornton, called out about ten or more sermons I had preached during my time there. I was overwhelmed.

While somewhat different, but not totally, Jesus said in Matthew 10:16-20, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues. You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.”

Jesus was saying that the Holy Ghost will give us the words to say at the appropriate time. Sometimes that is in a sermon, sometimes it is when we are witnessing to someone, and sometimes it will be words that can penetrate the hearts of our accusers during times of persecution. In each case, when we need to know what to say, the Holy Spirit can breathe life into our words. Words that someone needs in that moment, and in some cases, years later. We need to be sensitive to what the Spirit is whispering in our hearts at all times. It could change someone’s life.